The illustrative embodiments described in the present application are useful in systems including those for authenticating a sender of an item such as the sender of a mailpiece and more particularly are useful in systems including those for using a digital pen to capture sender biometric data in order to authenticate the sender of a letter.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) provides a service of mailpiece reception, sorting and delivery to national addresses and international postal streams. The USPS processes approximately 200 billion domestic letters per year. The USPS also processes parcels. Similarly, other courier services provide services for delivery of letters and parcels.
In 2001, Anthrax spores were found on mail pieces, mail-handling equipment and in or near areas where certain mail pieces that likely contained anthrax spores were handled. These attacks pose a danger of infection that may be lethal to those in the affected areas. Additionally, there is no readily available warning system to provide an early warning that a mail piece contains anthrax spores, other biochemical hazard or other hazardous material. Certain members of the general population may fear receiving and handling mail due to the threat of mail terrorism.
Previously, the identity of a sender of a mail piece could not be adequately authenticated. Certain mailpieces include postage indicia applied by postage meters that may indicate a postage meter serial number. Mailing machines including postage meters are commercially available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn.